nickels and dimes do add up, but...

[Brian Lawson]

Hi, you can look at it a couple of ways, say you schedule your time at the
customer to 1 1/2 hours to do the tuning and out the door, if you've finished
the tuning before that time and it is an incidental  adjustment then sure, Is
the time you take within your tuning time to drink the coffee/tea at extra
cost to the customer? Sure, if ALL those things needed to be done then charge
for the time, but personally if it really does take a few minutes.

Brian



----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 9:31 PM
Subject: nickels and dimes do add up, but...


List

I have been wondering how some of you handle the little incidental things
that sometimes need to be done on a tuning call.  I find it difficult to
charge someone for something that takes very little time, and I like to do
something a little extra if I can.  I think it makes the customer feel like
he is being taken care of and not being taken advantage of.  But then, where
do you draw the line?

One place that I've drawn the line, is if the customer asks me to fix
something that is bothering him.  I am more inclined to charge him to correct
a problem he is aware of and wants remedied.  Even then, if it takes less
than 5 minutes, I can't seem to put it on the bill.

And what about things that perhaps only you have noticed?  Here are some
things that one comes across pretty regularly.  Would  anyone care to comment
on their policy regarding the following: (on a vertical piano)
        Tighten a loose hammer butt flange to correct a floppy hammer?
        Tighten 3 loose hammer butt flanges?  Five?
        Adjust a leaking damper?  Three dampers?  Five?
        Adjust the lost motion from a damper pedal?
        Ease a key?  Three keys?
        Adjust a backcheck to stop a double-striking hammer?  Three?  Five?
        Align a hammer to strike all three strings?
        CLP a sluggish hammer butt?

Would you:  A) charge him for it?
            B) just leave it like it is?
            C) not charge him, but  let him know you took care of the problem
for him?

Just curious how some of you might approach this.

Thanks.

Tom Sivak



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